The second day of our trip started early, as we had about nine hours of driving planned.

Along the way, though, we wanted to explore the northern coast of the Bay of Fundy, home of some of the largest tidal swings in the world.  Our goal was to to time our arrival with the low tide around noon.  Our target was Herring Cove, which is in the Fundy National Park just outside of the small town of Alma.  The good news was that we arrived on time, just before low tide!  The bad news was that it was quite a walk to actually get to the water’s edge.

The kids raced ahead to explore the rocky shore, including some shallow caves.

The high tide around 6 am had been more than 21 feet higher, exposing large beds of sea weed and tidal pools.

If we had stood on top of each other’s shoulders the top person would still be under water at high tide.  After exploring for a bit, our crew wandered along the shore, and Lydie and Cassie made small cairns.  The surf was mild, and I’d like to think that by dinner time the cairns would be 20 feet under water but still intact.

We had miles to go (well kilometers in Canada), so we had to move on.  We stopped in Alma to pick up lunch, dividing our forces between the Alma Boathouse and Kelly’s Bake Shop.   Refueled, we headed off again, bound for Nova Scotia.

The day’s final destination was Cape Breton, which is actually an island off the coast of northern Nova Scotia.  Cape Breton lies close to mainland Nova Scotia, separated by a narrow body of water that is easily crossed via a bridge.  Once in Cape Breton we picked up some groceries at a local co-op before continuing further north to the Cape Breton Highlands National Park.  We shaved some time off our route by taking a comically short ferry .

This photo was taken before the ferry left “port” and our destination is the land in the background — not the trees far in the background but rather the lamp posts in the background.  The distance couldn’t have been more than 100 feet.

Having braved the Canadian seas, we were back on the road.  For the next three nights we rented a “farmhouse” on the edge of the national park.  We had to stop at a nearby lodge to pick up the keys.  Keys in hand, a couple of lodge employees drove to the house with us.   I don’t know that we could have found the house without their help, as the house is hard to find, located down an unmarked dirt road off of the highway.  Our temporary guides also gave us instructions for the house.  The house had electricity and plumbing.  But the only heating was a wood-burning stove.  And there was no wifi or phones.  It was perfect.

One of our guides, apparently a French Canadian judging by his accent, instructed us on the operation of the stove. He eyed us suspiciously, evidently doubting that these city folk could successfully operate the stove.  He asked if I knew how to start a fire.  I told him I did.  *Le scoff* He responded by telling me how to start a fire anyway.  The house was stocked with wood, but I asked whether there would be enough wood for three nights.  *Le scoff* “Of course.  It is not that cold at night.”  I asked him if he was sure and proceeded to have this exchange with him.

Le Guide:  “Start the fire with wood that is soft and then put on wood that is hard before you go to sleep.”

Me: “Okay.  And there is enough of both kinds of wood here in the house?”

Le Guide:  “Oui.  Do you know how to wood that is hard from wood that is soft?”

Me (thinking that I understand what is hardwood):  “I think I understand what you mean.  By the species of the wood.”

Le Guide:  “No by the smell.  You smell the wood to see if it is hard.”

He then began sniffing various logs, muttering “soft” and “hard.”  Perhaps he was serious.  Perhaps this is part of Canadian woodcraft.  But I can’t help but wonder if was pulling our legs.

In any case, we had arrived.  The fire was blazing, and the house was cozy.  We fed the troops, played some board games, and relaxed by the fire.  Our time in Cape Breton was off to a great start.

-Will